A New Beginning
by UnAshamedFangirl
Summary: Rachel Berry has decided that she needs a new beginning. A/U, OOC M for future chapters!
1. A New Town

**Hey Guys! so this is my FIRST EVER fanfiction. I apologize for any and all mistakes, and I cant wait for the feedback. All feedback, positive or negative is welcome! this will be a mulitchapter fic. **

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

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I got out of my car in front of the old house I had just purchased, and sighed. It was a run down little place off the edge of the town, which was called, I squinted down at my phone in the sunlight to read the name, Berry Ville. The name made me smile for a second, but then I sighed again. Texas. So far away from New York that I hoped my demons couldn't follow me here. It was time to re-vamp my life after the disaster it had been. My fathers were surprisingly supportive, even though they had always wanted me in New York, they had seen what I had gone through with Colton, and fully supported my decision to move out here. I shook off the memories and thoughts, and looked back up at the house that I now called home. It was a quaint little house, with white walls and blue shutters and doors. I pulled the key out of my pocket and walked up the steps. Time to get started on my new life….

* * *

Wow. That is the only thought in my head as I take in the little thrift shop simply named Thrifty's Spot. It was decorated for the fouth of July, which was in two weeks. I can tell that it is an awesome store, there is a very homey feeling to it when you first walk in.

"Hello!" Comes from behind me, and I spin around to see a gorgeous woman wearing a red dress that was fitted at the bust and flared towards the bottom. She has bright brown eyes, and long black hair that was styled into an expert flip. I smiled at her and greeted her as well.

"Hi! My name is Rachel and I just moved into town. I was looking around and saw your 'Help Wanted' sign, and thought I'd stop in and ask what kind of help you were looking for." She nodded when I mentioned the sign, and smiled when I mentioned working there.

"Well babe, I just had one of my own get married and move away to be with her new husband, so I do have an opening. Its mostly just keeping the shop clean, working the register and being awesome." She laughed, and I knew that I would be best friends with this woman. She had a life about her that I had been missing since I had finally left Colton. She looked at me with a quizzical look on her face, and I figured that I had probably made a face when I had thought of Colton, so I fixed my face back into a smile.

"Well, if you're ready and interested, you can start tomorrow! I was just closing up shop for the day when you came in." she smiled at me again, and I couldn't help but smile back at her.

"That sounds great. Thanks again!" I walked out of the shop, and went back to my little house. I then realized that I had never even learned her name.

Across town, Santana walked into Fiyero's Joint, which is the bar her best friend Noah Puckerman owned.

"Puckerman!" she yelled loudly, even though the bar was full.

"Satan! Is there a reason you are yellin' in my bar?" She looked around and saw him walking out of the stockroom with bottles of alcohol. She laughed at his face, whicc was schooled into a frown at her.

"Come on, lighten up. I just closed down Thrifty's for the day, and I figured I'd come see how my main man is doing." Puck rolled his eyes and brushed past her on his way to the bar.

"Care to help, or are you just here to drink?" Santana laughed and sat down to slice lemons and limes for the busy man.

"So, we got a new move-in in town." She waited to see if he would acknowledge that. He didn't.

"She moved into Q's old place." That caught his attention, but only because he had been hopelessly in love with Quinn, and had been upset for the two weeks since she had married Finn and moved out of town.

"Who cares? The house is old and crappy anyway. Finn could never be bothered to do anything to it. Good luck to whoever moved in and hope it doesn't fall in on their heads." Having said that, Puck turned around and walked back into the stockroom. Santana sighed. From what she had seen of Rachel today, maybe she would be just what Puckerman needed to snap of this Quinn induced funk, and she was gonna help get this show on the road.

* * *

The Next day, I walked into Thrifty's feeling better about my choices to move out here, and I gasped at what I saw. The owner, who I had met yesterday was dancing around in clothes that…could they even be called clothes? The tiniest bikini top I had ever seen, which barely covered her, paired with mini shorts. I could see the bows from the strings of her bottoms peeking over the top of the shorts. She turned around and noticed me, and her jaw fell open.

"Holy shit! That outfit is making me sweat!" I looked down at my clothes, a pair of light blue skinny jeans, paired with my favorite black boots and a dark blue tank top.

"What's wrong with my clothes? At least they cover me!" I slapped my hand over my mouth when I realized just what I had said. She just laughed and shook her head.

"You know, I don't even know your name, and you're laughing at me!" I pouted. I couldn't help laughing though, I just felt so at ease with this woman, joking around like we had known each other forever.

"Its Santana, but you can call me San. I'm getting you clothes that are appropriate for summertime in Berry Ville, and wont make you melt!" and with that statement, she disappeared. When she came back, she was holding a neon green bikini and a pleated green and white skirt.

"San, I can't-"

"Don't say you cant wear this, because it will look amazing with your skin tone, and now that you work here, free clothes is part of the deal." She stared me down, and I looked back at the clothes. I really liked the outfit, but I could never wear that, Colton would….nothing. Colton wasn't anywhere near me, and I just wanted to be free of him and his influence. With that in mind, I grabbed the clothes and stuck my tongue out at Santana (who looked too smug for my tastes) on my way to the dressing room. I put them on, then looked at myself in the mirror. I shook my head.

"I cant wear this San! I look like a hussy!"

"Hussy? What are you, 90?" I heard her voice ring back, and before I could do anything she had flung open the door and was looking me up and down. "Bitch, you looking fucking awesome. Stop complaining." Then she stole the clothes I had been wearing, and ran away!

"SANTANA!" I heard her laughing, but she had closed the door and that was all the delay she needed. By the time I got the door open she was gone. Ugh. Guess I'm stuck in this outfit.

* * *

When it was time to close the shop, I looked over at San and asked for my clothes back. She just laughed at me.

"Nope! But we are going out. Its Friday night, and it's the festival of lights. So lets get dressed." She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the racks of clothes.

"We are gonna keep the bikinis on, cause there will be a pool, but we can match clothes to them." She found me a white dress that flowed really well, and pulled on a yellow one herself.

"Lets go!" I couldn't help but smile and follow her. Her enthusiasm was pretty infectious. We started walking down the street, and I realized that we were walking in the direction of the little bar I had seen on my way into town.

"Are we going to Fiyero's Joint?" I asked. She looked at me, surprised that I had known the name of the bar.

"Yeah, it's a pretty hot spot around here." She answered. I just nodded and kept walking. We walked through the door, and Santana walked right up to a group of people that she apparently knew, and looked back at me. I followed her after she gestured for me to.

"So, this is Matt," The guy she pointed to looked pretty intimidating, but he smiled and nodded at me.

"this is Britt," She pointed to a bubbly blonde who waved at me enthusiastically.

"This is Mercedes," The woman just smiled at me.

"this is Sam," I looked at the blonde man and smiled, and he nodded his head at me.

"this is Mike," I looked at the Asian man and noted that he looked like a dancer.

"and these two fairies are Kurt and Blaine." Kurt was sitting in Blaine's lap and had some of the prettiest blue eyes I had ever seen, and Blaines hair like defied gravity it was so curly.

"Bitch, don't call me a fairy!" Kurt snapped. Santana just rolled her eyes at him.

"Everyone, this is Rachel, and she just moved into our little piece of heaven!" All of a sudden there was applause and cheering, and everyone turned to look at the stage, so I followed suit, and immediately lost my train of thought. The man who had walked onto the stage was the most handsome man I had ever seen, and I had only seen his back so far! Wearing black cowboy boots, and a pair of blue jeans that hugged his ass perfectly, paired with a dark green shirt leading to a Stetson perched on his head, I was staring, and I knew it, but couldn't help it. Then he turned around.. oh dear god, I'd never been so aroused in my 21 years of life. He had strong features and sparkling hazel eyes that held laughter in them. He looked over the crowd and waved in my direction, and I turned and looked to see San waving back at him. I was immediately jealous, then I scolded myself. He wasn't mine. So what if he was dating Santana? I didn't need a relationship anyway. I'd have to forget about him. I steadfastly ignored the little voice in my head that was doubtful about that.

"Singing time!" Yelled Brittany, making everyone else laugh. I looked at San with a confused look, and she smiled at me.

"The owner allows people to perform here every Friday night." She explained. I nodded and felt a spark of excitement go through me. I hadn't sung in years. Maybe I would sing tonight.

"I need a drink." I stated. Kurt clapped and turned to the bar to order two rum and cokes. He turned around again once they had been handed to him and handed one to me.

"Cheers!" he said, clinking his glass with mine.

"Cheers, Kurt." I said back, smiling. I took a drink and then set it down.

"Hey y'all," I heard from behind me, and I instinctively knew that the voice matched the man I had seen on stage. I turned around slowly to look into the hazel eyes that I had seen from the stage. He looked me up and down, and smirked when Santana chimed in.

"Hey Puck. This is Rachel, she just moved into town. Rach, This is Puck." I wrinkled my nose.

"Puck?" He laughed, and I felt a shiver of desire shoot down my back at his husky timbre.

"Yes Ma'am. That's my name." I just looked at him blankly. He laughed again.

"It's a nickname. Short for Puckerman. Noah Puckerman." I smiled. Noah. I liked that name. Then it hit me.

"Puckerman? You're Jewish?" His eyes widened slightly in shock and he nodded.

"So am I. Rachel Berry." He started laughing uncontrollably, and I couldn't figure out why until I heard Matt say,

"Your last name is Berry and you moved to Berry Ville?" when I remembered that, I blushed pretty hard, and looked sheepish.

"That's part of the reason I chose to move here, actually." That made everyone laugh, and I just blushed deeper. Kurt came to my rescue with a conversation change.

"Puckerman, you performing tonight?" Noah looked back at me and smirked, then looked at Kurt and said

"Yeah, I think so. How many of you are performing?" Everyones hands went up sans mine. That of course brought the attention right back to me. "

Berry, do you sing?" Noah said, turning to look at me fully. I didn't know what to say. I didn't wanna lie to them but I didn't wanna sing tonight either.

"Sometimes. Not very often" That wasn't a lie, it just wasn't the whole truth. I actually hadn't sung since about halfway into my six year relationship with Colton.

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**Will she sing? You'll have to wait and see!**

**Like it? Hate it? Let me know!**


	2. Noah Puckerman

**Hey Guys! Here is chapter 2! Its short, but its late, and I couldnt type anymore. But I promise to have chapter three up tomorrow! **

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I looked over at San, who must have seen something in my eyes, because she diverted the attention away from me. I walked over and started saying goodbye to everyone, and I heard San whisper to Noah

"That's the move-in I was telling you about." I turned around, tuning out Blaine, who was trying to convince me to stay and hang out, and saw Noah smirking and whispering in San's ear, who was smiling and shaking her head. Another pang of jealousy shot through me, but I ignored it, again. I walked over to the couple, and instead of grabbing San by her hair, which I had an unexplainable desire to do, I turned to Kurt.

"I'm gonna go home and relax. Plus I have unpacking to do, so I'll see you later." He looked upset at that, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. "Well, you at least have to stay and watch everyone perform! We could all come over tomorrow and help you unpack!" I shook my head and went to deny that, but Noah spoke up before I could say anything.

"Come on Berry. You know that you don't wanna go home and be alone on a Friday night in a new town." I turned and looked at him, and ignored the shiver that went through me when I made eye contact with him.

"Actually, Noah," his eyes widened at the use of his name, but he stayed quiet. "I would much rather go home and be alone anyway. I've had a tough time recently, and being alone wouldn't be too bad." I knew that I sounded cold, but I just couldn't let my feelings have reign when it came to this man. He just scoffed and said

"Fine Berry. Go home to your toys and fingers. You're probably used to it anyway." I gasped at that, and I felt my desire turn to anger.

"How dare you assume something that is completely wrong about me? You don't know me at all, and I would appreciate you acting appropriately around me. There is no need to be insulting and crass. You are a heathen, and I wouldn't stay around you if my life depended on it!" I turned around and met San's shocked gaze

"Goodnight Santana, I will see you later." And with that, I stormed out.

* * *

Kurt whistled.

"Damn, she ripped you a new one, Puckerman."

"Yeah, she really did." Chimed Mercedes. Noah just shrugged it off. He had made the remark to see how she would react to it, and she had reacted quite impressively. Santana walked over to him and chuckled.

"She pass?" Noah turned and met the gaze of the fiery Latina.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Satan." Santana just scoffed.

"You're only ever deliberately mean to someone when you want to fuck them. So you throw out a crude comment to see if they are easy or not. So, I'll repeat the question. Did she pass?" Noah was shocked for a second trying to figure out how the Latina had figured him out so well, when no one else had ever figured that out. Then he realized, she was him if he would have had a vagina instead of his dick, and he chuckled.

"Yeah, she was pretty impressive. But you've lost your touch if you think I'm going anywhere near that crazy. She bit my head off for a harmless comment. I like my women with fire, but not hot enough to burn." And he walked off to deal with the sign up sheets that were always full on Friday nights. Blaine laughed.

"He seems sorta sprung, doesn't he?"

"Sorta?" Laughed Mike, who was Noah's best friend.

"I've only ever seen him like that around one other female in the twelve years I've known that man." He didn't say who the female was; everyone already knew he was talking about Quinn. Noah would fall over himself to make that woman happy, and she led him on up till the day she married Finn. 'Good Riddance.' Was the collective thought going around the group.

Later that night, when everyone had gone home, San was sitting in her room thinking about what she was going to do about Puck and Berry. She was sure they would be perfect together. She smirked, and picked up her phone to text her best gay.

"We NEED 2 get Puck together w/ Berry. They r perfect."

She only had to wait a couple seconds before Kurt texted her back.

"OOH! Matchmaker? I'm in. So is Blaine, although, he is less willing. I'll fix that. ;)"

She laughed out loud, both at the fact that the text was in perfect grammar and spelling, and because she knew he would convince Blaine also. Kurt was nothing if not persuasive.

* * *

I woke up the next morning, and didn't even bother getting dressed. I stayed in my sports bra and boxers. I made breakfast, and a cup of coffee, then settled in to unpacking. I turned up my music and danced while I worked. At around 10 o'clock, there was a knock on my door. I stood there for a second, calculating the odds of it being a serial killer, then Colton briefly flashed through my mind, but I brushed both thoughts off with a scoff, and walked over to the door. When I looked through the peephole, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at what I saw. Before I could say or do anything, Santana's voice rang through my door.

"Don't roll your eyes bitch! Let us in!" I laughed and opened the door. Not only was San on the other side, so was Kurt, Brittany, Mercedes, and two other females I had never met.

"This is Sugar and Tina. We brought them over to help unpack and decorate." Said Kurt. I turned to look at him.

"Kurt, while I appreciate the thought, I explained last night that I had everything under control, and would not require outside help this morning." San rolled her eyes at me.

"Why can't you just say that you don't need help? That was like ten words to many." I shook my head as they all pushed past me anyway. Kurt gasped and started clapping when he heard the music I had playing in the background.

"Wicked? I LOVE that show!" I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm about the music.

"I have the original Broadway Cast recording of just about every Broadway show I've ever seen, and this was the first CD I found this morning. I'm glad you appreciate my music." Kurt kept his smile, and shook his head at me. We walked into the kitchen, and noticed that the girls had most of the boxes unpacked, so we jumped in to help them.

* * *

Four hours later, every single box in my new house had been unpacked and arranged accordingly, and we were all sitting in my living room with lemonade that Kurt had made.

"My god this is exceptional lemonade, Kurt." I said, drinking half of my glass quickly.

"Why thank you Diva." Kurt had started calling me diva around noon, and no matter how much I asked him not too, he wouldn't stop, so I had accepted it. At that moment, San's phone rang. She answered it with a "Hey fucker!" and I just stared at her in shock. Tina laughed at me, and I looked at her.

"That's how she answers when Puck calls her. He is just as rude to her." My eyes snapped back to San when Tina mentioned who she was on the phone with. Santana noticed my look and smirked at me.

"Well, Berry's new house has a pool, and we should hold a housewarming party for her. Its 2 pm now, how about we all meet back at her place at 6?" she looked at me, obviously waiting for my answer, but I was torn. I was stuck between, 'wow, that sounds like a great idea!' and 'No way. Puckerman is not welcome in my home!' I finally settled on the former and nodded my head with a smile to San. I didn't want to make enemies this soon in a new town. Kurt clapped, and everyone was smiling. San finished up her phone call, and I expected everyone to get up and leave, but no one moved.

"Don't you all have to go get ready?" I asked the group of girls.

"Nah," Santana answered "we all are wearing our bathing suits, and since we are all friends, we don't need to get fancy." I laughed at her explanation.

"Well, I have to get dressed. I'll be back." As I got up to go into my room, Kurt, Sugar, Brittany, Mercedes and Tina got up and went into my kitchen, whereas Santana followed me into my room.

"So, what do you think of Puck?" I walked into my bathroom to change when it became obvious that she wasn't gonna leave so I could get ready.

"I don't have any particular thoughts about Noah, Santana. Besides the fact that he is a brute. His comment to me last night was crass and disrespectful, and I won't stand for it." I heard her scoff through the door.

"Then why did you let me invite him over?" I rolled my eyes. I had been doing that a lot since moving here.

"San, I'm not gonna tell your boyfriend he can't come over." Before I was even halfway through that sentence, Santana started laughing hysterically. I walked out in my favorite black and green bikini and a short wrap style dress, and glared at the girl rolling on my bed.

"What is so entertaining to you?" I snapped at her. She stopped laughing long enough to gasp out a sentence.

"You think that I'm dating Puck? PLEASE! I haven't dated that man since high school, and even then, I don't think it could even be called dating. It was more of we both had an itch, and were willing to help the other scratch." I grimaced, and just shook my head at her. I looked at the clock and it said 6 o'clock.

"They should be here soon anyway, lets go." As soon as I was done saying that, my doorbell rang. I walked to answer it, and gasped at what I saw once I got the door open.


	3. Blast from the Past

**Hey guys! I'm back! lol. I'm updating this story pretty fast because I have most of it written, so updating isn't very difficult. **

**So, I realized I didn't put in the disclaimer, so I don't own Glee. If I did, it would be vastly different. **

**so, Enjoy!**

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I took a second to get my breath back and compare the two forces of nature who were glaring at each other on my porch. Noah, with his dark hair, and gorgeous hazel eyes, staring down the blonde man next to him. Then, I fully shifted my attention to the man I had been trying to forget. Colton looked just about the same since the last time I saw him. Blonde crew cut, piercing green eyes, rippling muscles. I snapped out of it when I heard Santana coming up behind me.

"Colton? What are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?" Colton turned and looked at me, and smiled with the smile I used to never be able to say no to.

"Rae, babe, I told you that there was no where you could go that I wouldn't be able to find you. I made you that promise, and I meant to keep it, so here I am." He just sorta looked at me, and I knew that my eyes were wide, and my mouth was open in shock, but I really couldn't change that. Then I turned to look at Noah, who just looked angrier than I had ever seen anyone.

"Hello Noah." I smiled at him, and he immediately relaxed somewhat. Enough to smile back at me anyway.

"Hey Berry. Thanks for inviting us over." It was only after he had said us that I noticed the rest of the guys behind him looking very much like they were ready to defend their friend should anything go down. Eager to diffuse the tension, I opened my door a little wider, and allowed everyone to come in.

"Please, come on in everyone." I said with my Broadway smile on. I knew that I was gonna have to do something about the fact that Colton was here, but right now I just wanted to get everyone off of my porch and into my house and backyard for the pool party that I really didn't want to have anymore. Santana came up behind me and looked at all the guys.

"I'm gonna steal Rachel away for a minute guys. You all pretty much know the house, and you can show…" she trailed off when she got to addressing Colton, and I jumped in quickly to make introductions.

"Everyone, this is Colton, my…..friend from New York." Everyone had noticed that I hesitated before saying the word friend, but luckily no one said anything. Colton's gaze darkened though and I knew he would have a few choice words for me once he was able to get me alone. Santana and I got into my room, and she sat me on the bed. I could see her lips moving, and I tried to listen, but there was this dull roaring in my ears, and I felt like I was gonna pass out. The next thing I knew, I had a glass of cold water in my hands, and I drank it greedily. I looked up at Santana who simply looked back at me and said

"Spill. Now" I looked at her and was trying to decide if I could trust her with my past, when her face softened.

"Rach, you need to tell someone about that brick wall of man you called your 'friend'. I'm sorry babe, but you didn't seem all that happy to see him, and that 'no matter where you go I'll find you' shit was creepy to the max. We all care about you here, even if you are new around these parts and talk way too much to get a simple point across. I've got your back. So please, trust me enough to tell me." She looked so sincere that I couldn't help but trust her. I nodded, then got comfortable on my bed to tell the story.

"I met Colton when I auditioned for and got the part of Wendla in Spring Awakening on Broadway, six years ago. He had the part of Melchior, and I was instantly captivated by him. I remember the day I met him like it happened yesterday." I forgot that San was in the room, and fell into my memories of that day, six years ago.

* * *

"Rachel Berry?" I looked up and had to take a deep breath when I saw who had asked about me. He was gorgeous! Blonde hair that fell into the greenest eyes I had ever seen paired with the lean body of a dancer and the grace of one as well.

"That would depend on who is asking." I said coyly, wondering where the nerve to flirt had come from, but appreciated it none-the-less when he laughed and nodded at me.

"I was curious as to who I would be acting across from in this play, and if I have read my Email correctly, You currently hold the part of Wendla, which would mean that you are my co-star for this one." He smiled at me while I just stared at him. I had to pretend to have sex on stage with _HIM? _Oh dear god, help me. His smile alone made me pulse with desire.

"You're Colton Johns?" I asked him incredulously. He winked, which didn't help my feelings AT ALL.

"That's me." He smiled again, but before I could say anything, Terry, who was directing the play, came hopping up to us.

"Oh good! You two have already met! I was worried that we would have to take time out of the schedule today in order for you two to get used to each other….." he kept talking but I had tuned him out when he started walking away with Colton.

* * *

"He had you captivated from the start, didn't he?" I was snapped back to reality by San asking me a question with a sympathetic look on her face. I nodded.

"Yeah, he really did. And it wasn't two weeks later before he asked me out, and then before I knew it, we were inseparable. I couldn't help but think that maybe this man was what I had been waiting for, and that he understood me. I mean, we were both in show choir in high school, we both took dance classes from the second we started walking, and we had incredible chemistry." I shook my head sadly.

"It wasn't until two years into the relationship that I found out how much of it was a lie. I was a virgin when I had met him, and planned on staying one for a while, and he wasn't happy about that, and before I realized it, we were constantly fighting about it, and how 'I couldn't possibly love him if I couldn't even give him this one little thing'. But it wasn't a little thing. Not to me, anyway." I broke off when I realized I was crying. Santana sat down next to me and put her arms around my shoulder. I steeled myself for the next part of they story.

"After that, I broke up with him, and we were separated for 3 years, and one day he showed up and he was his charming self, and apologizing and saying he would wait for as long as I wanted, and I gave him a second chance. We were together for a year, and he had gone out drinking with some friends, and when he came home, he was so drunk. I was asleep in bed, and I didn't hear him come in. I woke up and he was on top of me." I shuddered at the memory, and heard Santana gasp next to me.

"I tried to push him off, I screamed and kicked, but none of it worked. I couldn't dislodge him from me, and I finally gave up, and laid there till he was done. When he finally finished, he looked at me and said, 'There, that wasn't so difficult was it?' the next day, I was packing to leave him, and he said 'You could go to the other end of the earth and I will find you. You're mine, Rachel Berry, and nothing and no one will change that." I started fully sobbing, and I heard a fight break out in the living room. Santana and I ran into the room to see Sam and Mike holding Noah back, who had a black eye and a busted lip, and Matt and Blaine holding back Colton, who had TWO black eyes and what looked like a broken nose.

"What in the world happened?" I yelled as I ran over to Noah, not noticing the eyebrows that raised all around the room at the fact that I ran to Noah and not Colton. I pulled his chin down towards me and met his gaze.

"Nothing, Berry. Colton over here was voicing some opinions, and I disagreed, that's all." I looked over at Colton skeptically, then turned back to Noah.

"With your fists?" I said incredibly. Noah smirked. I heard Colton mumbling behind me, and I spun to face him with my best glare on, and even Matt and Blaine flinched at the look of pure hate on my face.

"Matt, Blaine. You may release him now." They looked at me for a second longer, then released his arms and stepped over to Noah. Probably to help in case it got out of hand again.

"Colton Johns. We are no longer involved, and you follow me to Texas, show up at my doorstep unannounced and uninvited, and when I am considerate enough to invite you into my house, you pick a fight with one of my friends!" Noah and Santana both smirked at that, considering I had not been shy about my dislike for Noah. Colton started to talk, but I cut him off.

"I'm not finished. I told you very clearly the day I left New York and our life together that I never wanted to see you again. Maybe you mis-interpreted that to mean 'sure, follow me to Texas', but let me make it crystal clear for you. I. HATE. YOU. I have spent the last 6 months trying to get as far away from you as possible, and cut you out of my life. I have friends here who care about me, and I do not need you. So take your sorry ass back to whatever rock you crawled out from under, and GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" Everyone was shocked by the venom dripping from my words, including me. my chest was heaving because of how hard I was breathing, but it just felt so good to vent my anger towards him. Colton looked surprised, but that look quickly melted into anger, and he took a step towards me, but before anything else could happen I found myself behind a wall of muscle. I blinked and it took me a second to realize that Matt, Blaine, Mike, Sam, Noah, and the two other men they had brought with them had formed a wall between me and Colton. I heard Blaine's voice ring out.

"She was quite clear. You may leave now." Colton was shooting glares at all the men between him and me. He finally managed to make eye contact with me, and growled out,

"This isn't over you little bitch." And before anyone could react, he had stormed out of the house. Noah turned to look at me, and I saw his lips move, but I couldn't hear anything he said, and then all I saw was black.


	4. Time to Explain

**Hi! :) I'm back again! I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible. I'm going to do the whole next chapter from Puck's perspective, so that should be interesting. :) remember to review guys!**

* * *

Noah caught Rachel before she hit the ground, and he turned and looked at Santana.

"Satan, what is the deal with her and that jackass? And don't say 'nothing' cause you know we wont believe you." Santana looked at all the other people in the room, and saw that they were all nodding, in agree-ance with Puck. She shook her head and sighed.

"It's not place to tell you guys. If she wants you to know, she will tell you. I will say that you need to not push her. This is something….big, and it's up to her to explain it." With that, San gestured for Noah to follow her, and she led him to Rachel's bedroom so he could lay her on her bed.

"Ima get everyone to leave, so she doesn't have everyone in her space when comes to." Noah looked at the sleeping girl one last time, and then turned to leave.

I woke up with a headache.

"Ugh." San's head snapped around to look at me when I made the small sound.

"Rach! Oh my god, you scared the ever loving shit out of us! You went all badass warrior chick on that Colton guy, and then just passed out!" San was getting hysterical, and her raising voice was making my already bad headache worse.

"Satan! Get out and let her fully come back before you start yellin'!" I looked over when the second voice came through to me, and saw Noah ushering San out of the room, then turning to look at me with worry in his eyes.

"Here's the deal Berry. Im not gonna ask you to tell me anything, and neither is anyone else in this little bunch of misfits. But that Colton guy seemed pretty intense, and we called the cops on him-" I gasped at that, but Noah kept talking over me.. "-and they said that we shouldn't leave you alone till they had captured him. So you have a choice. You can have all the guys switching off staying here, or you can stay with me, OR I can stay here with you." When he ended his little speech, he just sat there and stared at me while his words sunk in, and when they did, I lost my cool.

"Noah Puckerman, I am 21 years old. I can fully handle myself. I do not require, nor do I desire a babysitter of any kind. While I appreciate the sentiment, I must formally decline your offer of protection. I am sure that Colton would not risk coming back to hurt me anymore than he already has. I did not move out here just to be restricted in what I can and cannot do! I got out of that type of situation, and I'm not going back. I am sure that the law enforcement officers had my best interest at heart, as I am sure you do as well, but I do NOT require protection!" I was rambling, and I knew it, but the thought of me staying with him, or him staying with me was very unsettling. I could barely keep my control around him when there were others around. If it were just him and me, I couldn't even begin to think of what could happen. Noah just blinked at me, and scoffed.

"Okay, one, that was WAY too many words. Seriously, you need to use less words to get your point across. Two, you don't have a choice Babe. Either way, you are going to have one of us guys around at all times. At least this way, you can pick who you want to be around the whole time." He just smirked at me when I scoffed at him and rolled my eyes.

"Fine, but I want it to be noted that I am not happy about this. You may converse with your friends and determine who is going to stay with me. I don't really have a preference. Now, I'm going back to sleep." With that, I turned over and pulled the blanket up to my chin. I heard Noah leave, and my thoughts immediately started going a mile a minute. What would I do if Colton came back? He had already gotten a judge to label me unfit to take care of myself, and I still don't know how he did it. Maybe Noah was right in insisting that I have some sort of protection. I just didn't want to go back to not being able to decide anything on my own, or choosing what I could do, and where I could go….But then I flashed back to the feeling of Colton on top of me, and I shuddered. Maybe, just maybe I could convince Noah to move in here. Temporarily of course. I did feel relatively more calm thinking about it.

Noah closed the door leading to the sleeping brunette, and shook his head, the words '_you may converse with your friends_' flashing through his head. There would be no conversing. He had no intentions of letting anyone but himself protect that woman. But he found himself wondering why he felt the need to protect her….actually, maybe he would set up a schedule. All they guys said they would be willing. Noah was so deep in thought he didn't notice his best friend sitting at the counter in the kitchen smirking at him. But when he did, he rolled his eyes and snapped

"what are you so happy about over there?" Santana just chuckled.

"You are already so sprung off of that woman and she hasn't even been here for a full week."

"I'm not sprung. But she looked like she had been abused, and you know how I feel about that shit, Satan. No one has the right to treat a woman that way." San's smirk fell, and she gestured to the seat across from her.

"Sit." Noah followed her direction, but only because he knew that San only asked him to sit when she needed to tell him something. She started talking, and he quickly realized she was telling him the history between Rach and the Douchebag. His hands clenched into fists as she continued the story, and when she got to the part about the rape, he got up and started pacing to try and calm down.

"Puck?" Santana asked him hesitantly. He just shook his head.

"Something about the man seemed off! I knew that he had something to her. When the two of you disappeared earlier, he kept taking these little shots at Rachel. He said 'once I broke her in, she probably flaunted it at everyone.' And when Artie, who doesn't even know Rachel, chimed in asking what the hell he was talking about, the bastard starting boasting the Rachel wouldn't be the woman she is today if it weren't for him. And then he called her a whore who only understood the feeling of a mans fist, and that she was his. And I got so fucking pissed, that I told him she was my girlfriend, and he couldn't talk about her like that, and he lost it and started wailing on me. FUCK!" Noah stormed out of the house, while Santana sat there in shock. Girlfriend? Puck hadn't used that term since high school. This was getting serious. She shook her head and went into Rach's room, and laid down next to the crying brunette, and wrapped her in her arms and they both fell asleep.


	5. What the fuck?

**Hey Hey! :) I'm ecstatic about the response to this story! This chapter is in Pucks point of view, and I have to say, it's probably one of my favorites! I'm glad you're all loving this story, so without further ado, on to the show!**

* * *

I got home, and slammed my door, not caring about how loud I was being. I walked straight to the kitchen and cracked a beer. _What the actual fuck had just happened? _I was totally fucking confused about everything that had just gone down. I ACTUALLY called her my girlfriend! What the fuck made me do that? I have a type. Blonde ex-head cheerleaders who were sure of themselves. Ugh, Quinn. I found myself mentally comparing the two women, and I realized that I felt stronger about protecting Rachel than I ever did with Quinn. I slumped down onto the barstool, and set my beer down. This is no fucking good. I barely knew the chick for fucks sake! The first night we met, she called me a heathen! And fuck you if you think I didn't know what that shit meant. It was an insult, and I SHOULD hate her for it!

I thought back to earlier today, when I had gotten out of my car at Quinn's-no, Rachel's house, and I saw that blonde jackass walking up her steps. Something about him immediately made me tense up.

* * *

"Puck, come on! Why do you even want to go over there? You've been saying all damn day how 'that little midget is a total bitch, and I don't want to be around her if I don't have to be'!" Mike was laughing at me, and I honestly didn't blame the fucker. He knew me too well.

"Well, douchebag, EVERYONE else is gonna be there, so I don't have to interact with her if I don't fucking feel like it. I'm not passing up a party! Do you know me at all?" I smirked when he rolled his eyes. Blaine and Sam laughed from the front seat.

"Did we have to bring Joe and Artie though?" Sam asked, mentioning the two men who were in the other car. "She doesn't even know who they are!"

"You just didn't want Artie to be here because you think he wants your girl!" Blaine said, shaking his head.

"I'm so glad that I'm gay and the only person I could even be with is Kurt, and none of you will try and take him from me." He laughed when we all groaned. I just shook my head and tuned out the rest of the bickering. I didn't want Joe or Artie to be here either, but it was just because I was gonna try and get Rachel to admit to liking me, and the more people that were there, the less chance I'd get to do that. My head snapped up when Mike mentioned that we were here. I turned and looked at the house. I saw some guy walking up the steps, and the way he carried himself immediately set me on edge. He looked like he was ready for a fight.

"Yo!" I yelled, drawing his attention to me. He turned around and looked me up and down.

"Can I help you with something?" I snapped at him. I smirked when his eyes slightly widened at my tone.

"Nah, bro. I think I got it handled, thanks." He said, blowing me off and ringing the doorbell. I walked up the rest of the steps and stood right next to him, causing him to glare at me, which I just returned. I could hear the girls laughing, and then the door opened, and I noted mentally that Rach looked amazing. And stunned. Then she opened her mouth.

"Colton? What are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?" the bastard stopped glaring at me to talk to Rachel, and I turned as well, not even listening to his answer, just looking at her. Then she turned to me, and I saw an apology in her eyes. What the fuck was she apologizing for?

"Hello Noah." When she smiled at me, I immediately loosened up all my tense muscles slightly. I halfway smiled at her and thanked her for the invite. I saw her eyes leave me and scan my boys behind me, who I was sure, were tensed and ready, just like I was. She seemed to make a split second decision, and opened her door wider and invited us in, with the fakest smile I had ever seen on her face. San came out of nowhere, and stole Rach, after she informed us that the douchebag's name was Colton. What the fuck kinda name is that?

After they left, there was a tension in the room, until Kurt spoke up.

"Hi Blaine, Honey!" and he walked over to give him a hug and kiss. Everyone watched me and Colton square off. Colton decided to open his mouth and say shit, and even though I was barely listening to him, I could he was being an asshole by his attitude, and they way the females were getting more and more tense the more he talked. Finally I snapped.

"What the fuck bro? Don't fucking talk about my girlfriend like that!" I saw everyone's head snap over to me, but I was focused on douchebag. He looked like he was getting more and more pissed the longer I stared him down. Then he scoffed.

"Girlfriend? Rae doesn't even know the meaning of the word. She's a total prude, and wouldn't give it up until I convinced her she was rightfully mine, and that that was the proper way to show that you loved someone." When he said that, I saw red, and lunged myself at him.

* * *

And that was really all I could remember (Besides her totally fucking awesome rant when she ripped into douchebag) until I caught Rachel when she passed out. This girl has a serious past, and I couldn't help but want to protect her from it. Which is crazy, because I BARELY KNOW HER.! This is stupid! But now I have gotten myself into this situation, and I know what she has been through, I cant ditch her now. My mother would flay me alive if she found out I hadn't helped the "poor defenseless Jewish girl". I scoffed. Rachel Berry was many things, but thinking back to how she ripped Colton a new one, I couldn't help smirking and thinking, defenseless is NOT one of those things.

**Love it? Hate it? Remember to review!**


	6. The Fourth

**Hola! lol. I dont actually speak spanish, I'm just very tired. So this chapter kinda jumps around a bit, and it is back in Rachel's point of view, mostly because that is easier for me to write. I dont own glee, or any of the songs used in this chapter, which are:**

**Goodbye to You by Scandal**

**What I Like About You by The Romantics**

**Stop! In The Name Of Love/Free Your Mind as performed on Glee**

**Rolling In The Deep by Adele**

**I Wanna Do Bad Things With You by Jace Everett**

**and Firework by Katy Perry.**

**Also! for the basis of this story, I have made Artie not be in a wheel chair. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

I woke the next morning wrapped in someone's arms, and had a mini freak-out till I realized that the arms belonged to Santana. I relaxed and thought back to how my life had blown up in the last two days. I slowly pulled out of the Latinas embrace and headed into the kitchen to make breakfast. I also decided to send an email to my three besties from New York. I would need them. I almost immediately got an email back from them saying that they would be here ASAP. I smiled to myself. I went outside and basked in the sunlight. In spite of everything bad that had happened I couldn't even be upset. I was finally taking the reigns to my life back. I had lived under someone's thumb for 6 years, and being on my own was like re-learning to walk. Scary, but damn satisfying. I looked back at the closed door to my room, and thanked my lucky stars that I had met the brunette asleep on my bed. I honestly wouldn't have been able to cope with Colton coming back, or Noah acting like he was in charge of my life without her. Her advice form the day before flashed back to me.

'_Puck is an ass, Berry. But he has a heart, and it's a damn big one. If you let him, he WILL take care of you. He'll take care of you even if you don't want him to. He's not a bad guy to have in your corner._' I smiled lightly. Maybe it was time to try to be friends with Noah. The oven beeped, signaling that my homemade biscuits were done. I walked into the kitchen and removed them from the oven, and started singing to myself softly.

"**Those times I waited for you seem so long ago****  
****I wanted you far too much to ever let you go****  
****You know you never got by "I feel it too"****  
****And I guess I never could stand to lose****  
****It's such a pity to say****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****Could I have loved someone like the one I see in you****  
****I remember the good times baby now, and the bad times too****  
****These last few weeks of holding on****  
****The days are dull, the nights are long****  
****Guess it's better to say****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****'Cause baby it's over now****  
****No need to talk about it****  
****It's not the same****  
****My love for you is just not the same****  
****And my heart, and my heart****  
****And my heart can't stand the strain****  
****And my love, and my love****  
****And my love won't stand the pain****  
****And my heart, and my heart****  
****And my heart can't stand the strain****  
****And my love, and my love****  
****And my love...****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****Now, could I have loved someone like the one I see in you****  
****Yeah, I remember the good times baby now, and the bad times too****  
****These last few weeks of holding on****  
****The days are dull, the nights are long****  
****Guess it's better to say****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****  
****Goodbye to you****Goodbye baby****  
****So long darling****  
****Goodbye to you****"**

By the time I was done singing, I had been dancing around, and singing loudly. I was also done with breakfast. I stood there when I ended the song, and heard soft clapping. I spun around to see Santana standing there smiling at me.

"Damn Berry. Your voice is AMAZING. You need to sing more often." I giggled, and gestured at the food. She walked over and filled a plate to start eating.

"Seriously," Santana looked up at me. "You need to sing more. How come you don't sing all the time? If I had a voice like yours, I would always be singing." I just shrugged and looked at my plate.

"Colton didn't like me singing after Spring Awakening. He told me that my voice was pitchy, and I wasn't as good as the directors had told me I was. At first, I would blow him off, and kept singing, but after 4 years of being told your voice isn't very good, you start to believe it." Santana just stared at me in shock.

* * *

A week and a half later found the whole group at my house once again for a pool party, but this time there was barbequing going on, and swimming, and laughter. Santana had helped me turn my backyard into the ultimate Fourth of July party space. She even talked me into setting up a stage and everything. I was actually having fun, and I heard my doorbell ring. When I got up to answer I gestured at Artie, who I had met at Noah's bar, to come with me. He got up and walked over to me, and smiled.

"My doorbell rang, and I don't want to have to deal with everyone getting mad at me if I answer it by myself." He snickered, 'cause he knew that when I said everyone, I actually meant Noah. I laughed with him, and walked to the door. When I flung it open, Amanda, Rory, and Lea who were my best friends ever in New York were standing on the other side. Lea, Amanda and I immediately started shrieking, and Rory just laughed. Artie went back into the pool area to explain the shrieking to everyone.

"Mandy! Lee! Red! God, it's so good to see you guys! Come in! Guest rooms are upstairs!" I led the three of them upstairs, and proceeded to catch up on everything.

* * *

Artie walked back into the pool area without Rachel, and Santana and Noah immediately noticed. They both got up and walked over to him.

"Where's Rach?" Santana beat Noah to the question. Artie looked at the two of them and then laughed.

"Calm down guard dogs, her friends from New York that she has been talking about non-stop just got here. She led them upstairs to settle in. she said she would bring them back down once they were ready." Noah and Santana seemed ok with this and went back to the party while Artie just shook his head and chuckled.

* * *

"So, spill, woman. You said in your email that there would be guys here. We want to know deets. Now." Lea was the first to break the silence after I had told them all about Colton. I had left out Noah's part in most of it because I knew they would interrogate me about him. I smiled when Noah came to mind. I was much more comfortable around him and that led me to accept the fact that I like him, but it did not mean I wanted to date him. He was still a barbarian, and I couldn't be with another guy like that. I knew that Lea would be man hunting when she got here. She loves cowboys. Actually, I made a mental note to introduce her to Joe. They seemed like a good match.

"Lea, why don't we go downstairs, and you can meet them?" I asked, laughing at how she jumped up at that. I turned and looked at my three best friends, and thought, 'here goes nothing'. I turned and walked downstairs and outside and everyone stopped to look at me.

"Everyone, these are my friends from New York. Amanda, Lea, and Rory. Mandy, Lee, Red, this is Santana, Noah, Mike, Matt, Kurt, Blaine, Joe, Sam, Artie, Levi, Brittany, Mercedes, Tina, and Sugar." I laughed at the fact that no one would remember everyone's names until they had all had the chance to mingle and talk. Luckily, the three people I had known forever were anything but shy, and dove right into conversations. I stood on the back porch for a little bit longer looking out over my friends, once again thanking my lucky stars that I had such amazing people in my life.

"You keep smiling like that, and someone is going to think your crazy." I hadn't heard Noah come up, but when he whispered that in my ear, I was torn between laughing at him, outlining that I was not mentally unstable, or just leaning into his weight. I turned to look at him, and laughed.

"Thank you for the concern Noah, but I assure you that I was just reminiscing on the past couple of weeks and my incredible fortune to have met such an amazing group of people." He rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Seriously Berry. Less words." That was Noah's favorite thing to say to me these days. That and anything that he could to point out that he was interested in me. He had made it very clear that he wanted me, but I was holding back. I stared into his eyes, and he moved said eyes up and down my outfit.

"Have I told you yet today that you look amazing? Cause babe, green is definitely your color." He smirked at me, and I just turned around and walked away, ignoring the throbbing between my legs, and his husky laugh that followed me.

Once the sun had gone down, and the lighting was subtle, everyone decided that it was time to sing. I laughed at some of the suggestions being thrown out. I decided that I was going to sing. It had been so long since I had sung Goodbye to You in my kitchen that morning. Before I even realized what was happening, Lea and Amanda were onstage, doing a very upbeat rendition of What I Like About You, making everyone in the backyard laugh. The guys got onstage and sang a mash-up of Stop! In the name of love and Free Your Mind, coupled with dancing that had every female there drooling. I was laughing, and having more fun than I could ever remember having, when Santana got onstage, and captured everyone's attention when she started singing. It took me a second to realize that she was singing a slowed down version of Rolling In The Deep, and was killing it. I was stunned at the talent that came out of her. When she was done, she curtsied and winked at me, which made me laugh. Then Noah stood up and casually walked onstage, and my heart jumped into my throat. I had never heard him sing, and the song he chose had my blood boiling within seconds. I remembered telling him that True Blood was one of my guilty pleasures, and that I Wanna Do Bad Things With You was one of the most erotic songs ever. So, it shouldn't have surprised me that THAT'S the song he chose, but it still did.

"**When you came in the air went out.  
And every shadow filled up with doubt.  
I don't know who you think you are,  
But before the night is through,  
I wanna do bad things with you.**

**I'm the kind to sit up in his room.**  
**Heart sick an' eyes filled up with blue.**  
**I don't know what you've done to me,**  
**But I know this much is true:**  
**I wanna do bad things with you.**

**When you came in the air went out.**  
**And all those shadows there filled up with doubt.**  
**I don't know who you think you are,**  
**But before the night is through,**  
**I wanna do bad things with you.**  
**I wanna do real bad things with you.**  
**Ow, ooh.**

**I don't know what you've done to me,**  
**But I know this much is true:**  
**I wanna do bad things with you.**  
**I wanna do real bad things with you."**

When he was done, I had to drink a glass of cold water. Then Santana stood up, and started yelling.

"Hey Rach, get your cute little ass up on that stage and sing for us!" Everyone cheered when she said that, so I got up and walked to the stage. Noah looked down at me, and held out his hand to help me up. When I got onstage, he didn't let go, he just pulled me in close and bent his head down to my ear.

"I can totally tell you're dripping wet baby. If you let me, I'll help you with that." He pulled back and winked at me. I had never wanted someone to kiss me so badly in my life. But he just pulled away and hopped off stage, leaving me alone in front of all my friends. I stood there for a second, not knowing what to sing. When I picked a song, I smirked and walked over to my iPod dock, found the song, and played it. Once the first strings of the song played out, Lea, Amanda and Rory all started smiling, and so did Kurt, who also recognized the song.

"**Do you ever feel like a plastic bag  
Drifting through the wind  
Wanting to start again**

**Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin**  
**Like a house of cards**  
**One blow from caving in**

**Do you ever feel already buried deep**  
**Six feet under scream**  
**But no one seems to hear a thing**

**Do you know that there's still a chance for you**  
**Cause there's a spark in you**

**You just gotta unite the light**  
**And let it shine**  
**Just own the night**  
**Like the Fourth of July**

**Cause baby you're a firework**  
**Come on show 'em what your worth**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**As you shoot across the sky-y-y**

**Baby you're a firework**  
**Come on let your colors burst**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**You're gonna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own**

**You don't have to feel like a waste of space**  
**You're original, cannot be replaced**  
**If you only knew what the future holds**  
**After a hurricane comes a rainbow**

**Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed**  
**So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road**

**Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow**  
**And when it's time, you'll know**

**You just gotta unite the light**  
**And let it shine**  
**Just own the night**  
**Like the Fourth of July**

**Cause baby you're a firework**  
**Come on show 'em what your worth**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**As you shoot across the sky-y-y**

**Baby you're a firework**  
**Come on let your colors burst**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**You're gonna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own**

**Boom, boom, boom**  
**Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon**  
**It's always been inside of you, you, you**  
**And now it's time to let it through**

**Cause baby you're a firework**  
**Come on show 'em what your worth**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**As you shoot across the sky-y-y**

**Baby you're a firework**  
**Come on let your colors burst**  
**Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"**  
**You're gonna leave 'em goin "Oh, oh, oh!"**

**Boom, boom, boom**  
**Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon**  
**Boom, boom, boom**  
**Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon"**

Everyone just stared at me, before deafening applause broke out. I smiled and stepped off stage, just in time for the fireworks to start. As I stood there in my backyard, surrounded by people I love, staring up at the sky as billions of little lights streaked across it, I felt calm for the first time in 7 years.


	7. First Kiss

**Okay! I hope you like this chapter, because I know I had fun writing it. :) It's short, and I apologize for any mistakes. **

**Also, I don't own Glee, or Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. **

**ENJOY! :)**

* * *

Once the fireworks ended, we all sat around the bonfire that I had had Noah set up in the backyard, and told stories. Santana started.

"My favorite memory of high school has to be Senior Prom." She laughed when Blaine groaned. She turned to me. "Brittany made the theme for the dance 'Dinosaurs', and decided that since the cavemen didn't have hair gel, that no one was allowed to wear hair gel to her dance." At that, everyone else started laughing. "Poor Blaine, we had never seen him without a ton of product in his hair. It was amazing." Blaine rolled his eyes.

"It was NOT funny. I did not approve of that stupid rule! Even Brittany had decided that it was cruel and not fair, and she told me that I could put my gel back in, and I was about to do just that, when Kurt wouldn't let me!" Kurt leaned over and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.

"He looked so upset, but he was so cute without all the product in his hair!" I couldn't help but laugh, mostly cause even right now, Blaine had like a gallon of gel in his hair, and I couldn't even imagine what he looked like without it. Blaine just shook his head.

"My favorite memory was Nationals." When he said that, everyone smiled hugely. Blaine leaned towards me. "We had been trying to win for three years. The first year, we didn't even make it past Regionals. The second year, we made it all the way to Nationals, but we came in twelfth. We were devastated. Then we were even more determined to win, because we had something to prove. We took Nationals senior year with Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, It's All Coming Back to Me Now, and Edge of Glory. We walked back into Mckinley with our heads held high. We were the big dogs for the last few weeks of school." Everyone seemed to be reminiscing. I smiled. Everyone looked at me, and I just smiled.

"I don't really have any fond memories of high school. But I remember my first day on Broadway like it was yesterday. I had auditioned and gotten the part of Belle in Beauty and the Beast. I walked onto that stage, and it felt like I was coming home."

* * *

I walked out onto the stage, and couldn't suppress a little jump and clap moment. I had made it! I was here, finally! It felt so much like coming home, that I teared up. I shook it off, and walked down towards the front of the stage, and looked out over the sets. I looked around, and I noticed I was completely alone. I opened my mouth, and started to sing before I had even made the conscious decision to.

"**Take Me Home, Country Roads  
Almost heaven, West Virginia,  
Blue Ridge Mountain, Shanandoa River,  
Life is old there, older than the trees,  
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze**

**Country Roads, take me home**  
**To the place I belong,**  
**West Virginia,**  
**Mountain mamma,**

**Take me home  
Country roads**

**All my memories, gather round her**  
**Modest lady, stranger to blue water**  
**Dark and dusty, painted on the sky**  
**Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye**

**Country Roads, take me home**  
**To the place I belong,**  
**West Virginia,**  
**Mountain Mamma, take me home**  
**To the country roads**

**I hear her voice in the morning hour she calls me**  
**Radio reminds me of my home far away**  
**Driving down the road I get a feeling**  
**That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday**

**Country Roads, take me home**  
**To the place I belong,**  
**West Virginia,**  
**Mountain Mamma, take me home**  
**Country roads**

**Country Roads, take me home**  
**To the place I belong,**  
**West Virginia,**  
**Mountain Mamma, take me home**  
**To the country roads**

**Take me home, that country road**  
**Take me home, that country road"**

* * *

"When I was done, there was deafening applause. I thought it was in my head, but I hadn't realized it, but while I had been singing, the rest of the cast and crew had come in and sat down. That's where I met Lea and Amanda." I smiled at the two girls, who smiled back.

"She had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. I was completely amazed." Lea said, smiling at me. I smiled back, then noticed the clock. It was 2am!

"Oh my god, guys, we have been here forever. Its two in the morning!" Everyone just laughed at me, but they all stood up to say goodbye anyway. I hugged each person as they were leaving, and Santana kissed me on my cheek, making me smile. Lea, Amanda and Rory had already gone to bed, and I walked into the kitchen to make some tea. I heard someone clear their throat, and my heart jumped into my mouth. I spun around and prepared to scream, when a hand covered my mouth.

"Shhhhh, don't scream babe. Its just me." When I heard his voice, I immediately relaxed, then got angry. I smacked him on his chest, and he let go of me.

"Noah Puckerman! What is the matter with you?" I hissed in a whisper. He just smirked at me.

"Why are we whispering?" He whispered back at me, laughing. When I just rolled my eyes, and turned away from him, he laughed harder and went back to his normal voice.

"I stayed out back to put the fire out, Berry. I didn't think you would want something to happen. I figured you would notice when you didn't have to say goodbye to me." Him saying that reminded me that I hadn't even noticed that he hadn't left. I blushed, and when I turned to face him, he saw it.

"You forgot about me didn't you? Im hurt, Berry. Very hurt." He put his hand on his heart, and faked crying, which made my blush disappear, and me roll my eyes. He laughed, and then he got serious. He walked towards me slowly, and I started backing up. Every two steps I took were equal to one of his. When I hit the sink, my eyes got wide, and he kept coming. Finally he was pressed against me. He looked down at me, and then just stood there. My arousal from earlier came back, and I found myself staring at his lips. My eyes flicked up to his, and I saw him smirk, catching me staring at him. He lowered his head, and when there was an inch left, and I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest, he stopped. His eyes bored into mine, asking if it was ok. When I didn't push him away, he slanted his lips over mine.

All thought stopped. I had never been kissed the way Noah was currently kissing me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted him to stop. My hands slid up from where they had been resting on his chest, (When did I put them there?)and curled around his neck. I felt his hands go around my waist, before one slid up and carded through my hair. He pulled lightly to tilt my head so he could deepen the kiss, and I couldn't help but moan into his mouth. I felt him smirk against me, and move his other hand up my side. Before he could get to where he was going, we both heard a stair creak. We jumped apart like two guilty teens, and Noah cleared his throat, still smirking.

"Fire's out, Berry. I'm heading home. I'll talk to you tomorrow." With that, he left. Rory poked his head into the kitchen after Noah had left and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything, I was just getting my cell phone." And I heard him go back upstairs. I finished what I had been doing in the kitchen, then walked into my room, got ready for bed, and laid down. Once I was in bed, I pressed my fingers to my lips. Noah's words from earlier came back to me. '_Fire's out, Berry._' Out? I disagree. The fire had just started, and I knew that if I wanted to, I would get burned.

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**First Kiss! : D I hope I did it ok! Remeber to review guys! Thanks!**


	8. Revelations

**Hi Guys! I know that compared to the first seven chapters being put up fairly quick, that I took awhile on this one, Sorry! But I'm posting it now, so I hope you enjoy it. **

**Madame Director: I assure you that my math is correct, and I applaud you for figuring that out! :) As for the amazing compliment about you not normally liking AUs, but liking mine, Im SOOOO glad that I wrote a story you like! Its my first story, so hearing that is awesome. You MAY be correct in your assumption about Colton. :) Thank you for reading!**

**I don't own glee, or the song being used in this chapter, which is Without You by Christina Aguilera. :)**

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face. Even though I hadn't gone to sleep until about three thirty, I was still wide awake at 7 am. I walked (more like bounced)into the kitchen, and made breakfast. I started humming to myself aimlessly, and when I turned around to put the plate of bacon on the counter, Lea was sitting there smiling at me.

"Hey girl. So, when Red came to bed last night, he said that he saw something pretty interesting going on in your kitchen. Now, I of course, yelled at him for interrupting your make out session, but he said that you were getting pretty hot and heavy with Puck." She smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes.

"First of all Lea, his name is _Noah_. Not Puck. I hate that stupid nickname. But, since I have always vowed to never lie to you, yes, Noah and I kissed last night after everyone was gone." I thought back to his kiss, and remembered the feeling that coursed through me. I had never felt anything like that, and since I was with Colton for so long, I realized why I had never had the desire to sleep with him. Noah made me feel…Beautiful. And alluring, both of which I was not used to feeling. But standing in my kitchen, remembering his hands moving up my body, and his lips moving on mine, I felt both of those feelings and even more.

"-chel? RACHEL!" My head snapped around to look at Lea, who was laughing at me. "Damn, must have been a hell of a kiss, if it has reduced Rachel Berry into a daydreaming female." She kept laughing, and I ignored her. Then my doorbell rang, and I went to answer it, ignoring the laughing female in my kitchen. I didn't bother checking who was standing on my porch, and when I opened the door, Noah was standing there smirking at me.

"Noah! What are you doing here?" I looked over my shoulder when I heard the laughing stop, and saw Lea standing in the opening to the kitchen. Noah shrugged, and just winked at me.

"Wanted to see you, so I came by. I figured you would be up. Can I come in?" He looked in my eyes, and I was once again lost in memories of the night before. I shook my head to get rid of the memories, and when I focused on him again, he was laughing at me. He leaned in close to my ear and whispered

"Thinking about last night, huh Berry? You could have even more if you would let me. I'm pretty sure I could make you feel things that you haven't felt before." I sucked in my breath, and stepped back to let him in, which made him laugh at me. I just shrugged and gestured towards the now smirking Lea.

"Food is in the kitchen Noah. I have to go get dressed. Help yourself." I shut the door after he walked in, and then walked up to my room, and got in the shower, and stood there thinking. I wanted more with Noah, but I was scared to let him in. My track record wasn't the best with boys. My first boyfriend in high school was a jock. Quarterback of the football team, dating the school nerd. It was no surprise when I found him cheating on me with the head cheerleader, but it still hurt. Then there was Colton. He was controlling, and verbally abusive. He used to tell me who I could and couldn't see, what I could and couldn't wear, and then of course, there was the rape. I shuddered. Noah? Noah made me feel like a woman, and he made me feel desired. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, no matter what I did. He didn't try and control what I wore, and then of course, there was the kiss. Just thinking about it made me throb between my legs. I wanted to take care of it, but I didn't do that. I'd never had an orgasm. 21 and I was practically a virgin. I quickly finished my shower and got dressed. I put in my iPod and sang out my feelings about Colton. I was going to move on, and it was going to be with Noah.

The next song came on, and I smiled. I walked out to the balcony, and used my remote for the dock my iPod sat in and started over, and sang along.

**"Woah woahh**

**Have I been blind?**  
**For the first time in my life I feel I've opened up my eyes**  
**Since you've arrived like an angel from the sky**  
**I'm on a spiritual high**

**So don't you ever go away**  
**I could never face**  
**Losing you would give my faith**  
**In a higher place**

**What kind of world**  
**Would it be without you**  
**I couldn't breathe without you here**  
**What kind of world**  
**Would I see without you**  
**I can't dream without you here**

**Yeah woah yeah**

**Beautiful boy**  
**How on earth did I do something worth deserving you?**  
**My better half**  
**How I cherish through and through every part of you**  
**I do**

**Loving you's made me hope**  
**Now I belong**  
**I found my heart**  
**Promise me we'll always stay**  
**The way we are today**

**What kind of world**  
**Would it be without you**  
**I couldn't breathe without you here**  
**What kind of world**  
**Would I see without you**  
**I can't dream without you here**

**Hey-yeah**

**I can't ever imagine**  
**If this never would happened**  
**I thank God everyday**  
**Almost lost you forever**  
**But I always remember (remember)**  
**That you're my saving grace**

**What kind of world**  
**(what kind of world)**  
**Would it be without you**  
**(oh without you)**  
**I couldn't breathe without you here**  
**(ohh here)**  
**What kind of world**  
**(what kind of world)**  
**Would I see without you**  
**(oh see without you)**  
**I can't dream without you here**  
**(dream without you here)"**

I stood there, staring out over the town, smiling at the words that I had just sung, when I heard his voice.

"Was that for me?" I turned around, and saw Noah standing there, smirking at me. I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak. He walked over to me, and looked down into my eyes.

"Rach, I care about you. If you didn't get that from yesterday. I know that I'm rough around the edges, but I want to give us a shot. San told me everything that happened between you and Colton, and I want you to know that I would never force you to do anything. I would wait for you, because you deserve that, and more. So just say that you'll give me a shot. Please?" He stared at me, and I knew in that moment that I was falling for him. I was shocked at how fast it had happened, but I resolved to get him to love me too. So I did what I had wanted to do the second I had opened that door to him this morning. I leaned up and kissed him. He stood there for a second, but then he responded eagerly. His hands came up to my waist, and mine went around his neck. I waited for him to move his hands again, but all he did was bring one hand up to card through my hair. I pulled back lightly from the kiss, and he groaned and tried to pull me back in. I giggled and pulled back further, till he finally opened his eyes and met my gaze. I stared at him for a second, before saying what was on my mind.

"Noah, will you let me try something please?" He looked confused, until he noticed that my hand was playing with his belt buckle. Then his eyes widened, and he gulped.

"Rach, you don't have t-" I cut him off with a kiss, and then pulled back yet again. I smirked at him. "I want to." He nodded at me. I smiled and kissed him again, and began to undo his belt buckle. His hands flew to my waist, and he gripped me, hard enough to bruise, but for once, I didn't care. I got his belt undone, and then I popped the button, and slid the zipper down. I pulled back again, and he let me. I looked into his eyes, and then said

"Noah, I've never done this before, so you have to tell me if I do something wrong, ok?" I waited until he had nodded, then dropped to my knees. He groaned, and lightly fisted his hands in my hair. I decided I didn't mind the feeling. I slowly pulled his jeans down and then I lowered his boxers, and his penis popped out and bobbed in front of me. I gulped nervously, and I was sure that my eyes were as wide as saucers. He was _HUGE!_ I got nervous before I heard him say "Rach. Baby, if you don't want to, you don't have to. Move at your pace." His voice sent a shot of desire down my back. It was low and sexy as all hell. I squared my shoulders. I was going to do this. I WANTED to do this. I leaned forward, and licked the head, and smiled at the groan I got from the man I was kneeling in front of. I liked the power this gave me. Normally, when you're kneeling in front of someone, they have the power. Not this time. I leaned further forward and enveloped the tip of him in my mouth, and sucked slowly. He tasted…..good. I was a little shocked, but I kept going. I leaned forward till I felt him hit the back of my throat, and then I took a deep breath, and went further, swallowing as I did.

"Fuck! Rachel! Holy shit!"Came from above me, and I hummed in content. All of sudden, he was groaning non-stop, and his hands were tightly fisted in my hair. I started to bob my head, moving him in and out of my throat. He tightened his hands even more, and warned,

"Rach, baby I'm gonna-" I knew what he was going to say, so I just bobbed faster and sucked harder till he exploaded in my mouth and yelled my name in triumph. I swallowed all of him, and then pulled off of him with a pop, and looked up to find him staring at me. I licked my lips, then smiled at him. He pulled me to my feet, and went to kiss me, but I pulled back with a shake of my head.

"Noah, I need to brush my teeth before you kiss me!" he just scoffed and said "Fuck that" and kissed me. Hard. He pulled back and took a step away from me.

"Holy fuck, Rach. How did you do that? That was your first time? Jesus." He reached down and tucked himself away, then did up his pants. He grabbed my hand, then pulled me inside. Wait- INSIDE? Oh my god, I just performed fellatio on Noah on my BALCONY! I blushed bright red, and Noah chuckled.

"Baby you are so red right now." He looked from me to the open door and back. "Oh. We were up high. No one saw us. And even if they did, you looked sexy as fuck anyway. Now I want to return the favor." I just looked at him, confused. Then he reached down, and unzipped my skirt, helping my step out of it, then he laid me down on the bed. He kissed my stomach, and I knew what he meant. I blushed an even brighter red than I had been. He looked up and noticed.

"Baby, you need to tell me if you want me to stop, ok? I want to make you feel good, but you need to trust me, ok?" He looked so sincere that I couldn't say no. I nodded, but he just stared at me, until I said "I promise Noah." In a small voice. He smiled at me, like a full smile, and then hooked his fingers into the waistband of my panties, and I laid back and lifted my hips off the bed. He slowly pulled them off, then looped his arm around my waist and splayed his hand on my hip. I was wondering why he had done until I felt his tongue lick a stripe up me, then all thought was gone. I gasped and practically arched completely off the bed, but his hand put pressure on my hip and held me in place. My hand flew to his head, and fisted in his hair. Then I felt his tongue flick at my clit, and I was completely lost, except for his name, which I gasped out loud. "Noah!" I continued to repeat his name like a prayer, and then I felt him enter a finger in me, and feel around, till he pressed on a spot inside me, and I felt myself practically explode. I'm almost sure that I screamed, but I couldn't bring myself to care. When I finally came back down to earth, Noah was stroking my hair away from my face. He smiled at me.

"Hey baby." I couldn't quite bring my brain to work yet, so I leaned up and kissed him. I could taste myself on him, and even though it was different, I wasn't as grossed out as I thought I would be. I felt myself falling asleep, and he chuckled.

"Go to sleep, baby. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise." With that promise ringing in my head, I let my self curl up into his chest and go to sleep. My last thought was 'I love you, Noah.' What I hadn't realized? I had said it out loud.

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**Alright guys, go easy on me, I've never written anything like that before. But I hope you like it! Remember to review! :)**


	9. The FreakOut

**OMG! I am so sorry about the long wait for this chapter! Life just got in the way of everything. I know that I had been doing pretty well in updating this story, and I feel horrible for not doing this sooner. but here is the new chapter, even though it is short. I didn't use any songs in this chapter, but it does flip perspectives between Noah and Rachel.**

* * *

The next day I woke up to an empty bed. I could clearly remember everything that had happened the night before, so maybe Noah was downstairs. I got up and got dressed, and walked down the stairs. I saw Rory and Leah sitting at the table, and I just smiled at them. I noted that Noah was in fact missing. Ok? I wonder why he skipped out on me? But I'm not gonna mention it to anyone. I finished cooking my food, and sat down across from Leah.

"Morning Rae. What happened to you yesterday? You went upstairs to 'get ready', Puck followed you, and then we didn't see either of you till this morning. Is Puck still in your bed?" I stared at her for a second, and came to the conclusion that apparently Noah- no, not Noah-_Puck_ had snuck out. I ignored the air quotes and sarcasm.

"No, Puck is not in my bed at the moment, I thought maybe he was down here with you guys. I guess he had something to do today. It's ok though, I'll see him later tonight." I ignored the look on Rory's face, and got up to get ready for my day. I got all the way up to my room before my anger fully kicked in. I walked over to my mirror and stared at my reflection.

"He promised he would be here when I woke up. And he wasn't. What an ass. Who makes that promise just to break it? He knew how insecure I am about this stuff, and yet apparently I don't matter to him." That's when the angry tears started. I just shook it off and got in the shower.

Two weeks. I hadn't heard from him in TWO WEEKS. This is getting ridiculous. I figured I would back off and let him deal with whatever the hell he is dealing with, but I didn't expect to be ignored for two weeks. I am not ok with that. I'm almost positive that I was annoying Santana as well, but I was trying not to. She always wanted to talk about Noah! I don't want to talk about it, because then I get angry all over again. What is his problem?

* * *

I know she probably hates me now, but I didn't know what else to do! I haven't even known her that long, and she said she loved me. How do I respond to that? I don't do love. I haven't since Quinn. Love isn't worth the pain. Besides, she was with Colton for how long? I don't wanna be the second choice again. I can't go through that. She probably doesn't even really love me. I haven't called her in two weeks, and she hasn't even tried to call me. My phone started vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the caller ID; Satan.

"Sup Satan?" I said casually. I know she sees Rach every day, so I'm playing it cool.

"What the fuck did you do to Rachel, Puckerman?" So much for avoiding this conversation.

"What the fuck are you talking about woman?" I figured that maybe I could play it off.

"She has been moping around for two weeks, she barely talks about you, and whenever I bring you up, she gets this look on her face like someone just kicked her fucking puppy. So I know it has to do with you. What. Did. You. Do?" Her voice just got more and more scary, and I REALLY needed to talk to someone about all this, so I guess Satan was probably my best bet.

"Ok, look. Shit happened. Not full on sex, but we did do some pretty awesome stuff." I heard Santana groan.

"You pulled a Puckerman, didn't you? She woke up to an empty bed, huh?" I sighed, because I knew that no matter what I said next, it wouldn't help my case. I was going to get a patented Santana Lopez rant.

"Yeah. When she was falling asleep, she told me she loved me. I have only known the woman for two months! She can't be in love with me ALREADY! I mean, fuck! No one falls in love that fast, Satan! Plus, she just got out of an abusive relationship, of what, 6 years? I can't be the second choice. Not again." I waited for the rant, but I just heard her sigh on the other end.

"Ok Puckerman. One, how fast did you fall for Quinn the first time you saw her? Two, I guess freaking out about being the rebound is a semi valid point. But come on, Rachel let you in. She TRUSTED you, and you totally fucked her over. I have a question for you." I knew I wasn't gonna like this question, but she had made some valid points, so I just listened.

"Did you tell her that you were gonna be there when she woke up?" I stared at the wall for a little bit. Shit. I did say that to her. And then she woke up, and I wasn't fucking there. Fuck!

"I fucked up, Santana." I said into the phone. I heard a sad chuckle on the other line, followed by a small, yep. And then she clicked off the line. I set the phone down, and stared at it. I had to fix this. Soon.

* * *

I was working in the thrift shop when I heard the bell over the door jingle, announcing that someone had just walked in. I made my way to the front of the store, looking at the clipboard that I was carrying, writing down what we needed to re-stock in the store. I looked up with a bright smile that froze on my face when I saw who I was looking at.

"Noah." I said, turning away from him.

"Santana! Noah is here!" I turned back towards him, and looked him up and down.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm busy." I could tell he wanted to say something, so I turned and walked away before he could. I stayed in the back room, and listened to Santana talk to him, and I went back to work when I heard the bell chime again. Santana walked into the back room, and stood there. I tried to ignore the look she was giving me, but I couldn't.

"What, Santana?" I asked, turning to face her. She had her hands on her hips, and a stern look on her face.

"He came to see you, and you pawned him off on me. What is that about?" I just stood there and looked at her.

"Well, I'm sorry that I can't just smile and be happy. He ignored me for two weeks, Tana. Two whole weeks. No calls, no texts, no visits, nothing! And he just shows up at my work, and expects me to be waiting for him? That's not how this works! I practically slept with the guy, then he just falls off the map! I'm sorry that I can't act like nothing is wrong, when the first thing I wanted to do when I saw him is punch him in his face!" I stopped talking when I realized that I was yelling, and that Tana was laughing at me.

"Finally! Some sort of response out of you! I have been trying to get you to talk about Puck for two weeks." she said, throwing her hands into the air. I just shook my head and turned away.

"Honey, you need to talk to that man. He feels horrible about what happened, and I know that he said he would be there when you woke up, and he wasn't. Maybe you should let him explain why." I looked at her like she was crazy, and just went back to work.

Once I got home, I stared at my phone, trying to get up the courage to call him. I picked up my phone, and dialed a number I had memorized. I waited, then heard him pick up.

"Hello?"

* * *

**Don't hate me! It has to have some sort of angst!**

**Any ideas of whom she is talking to?**


	10. Finally

**Hey Guys! I know that I said that I was adopting this story out, but I needed to do something to take my mind off the absolute hell my life has been for the past month, so i thought I'd pick back up on this story. I re-read it, and I like where I was going, but I do believe I will end it soon. It's just about run it's course. I finished my other fanfic, which was a sons of anarchy story. A Blast From The Past, if you're interested. :] So I know that the downtime on this story has been waaaaaaaaaaay too long, so I apologize for that, but I hope you guys still love me! Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, and let you get to the story.**

**ALSO! It's no longer in first person. I find it easier to write from the third person point of view, so I switched it up. Sorry if that confuses you!  
**

* * *

"Hello?" Rachel sat there with the phone pressed to her ear, and decided that she didn't want to talk to him. But before she could hang up, His voice came through the phone again. "Rachel? I know that this is you. Would you please talk to me? I know I've done something wrong, but I can't fix it if you don't let me fix it. Please." Rachel couldn't help but soften a little at the desperate tone of his voice. "Noah." She breathed. She heard him sigh. "Hey baby." She shook her head. "We need to talk, can you come over?" "Sure. I'll be right there." Then they line went dead. Rachel hoped she was doing the right thing by calling him, but it was too late to take it back, so she just had to suck it up and talk it out with him. If she was honest with herself, she missed him. She couldn't help it. In the few months she had been living in Berryville, he had become one of her best friends, and she didn't want that to change because of some tension between them. So this needed to be handled.

As Rachel was sitting there wondering what she was going to do once Noah got there, there was a knock on her door. Her head snapped around to look at the clock, and her brow furrowed. It had only been about 5 minutes. There was no way Noah had gotten there that fast, unless he had been got up to answer her door and as she did, she yelled out "Noah, you know how I feel about speeding. I understand that you were-"The rest of her sentence trailed off as she looked up and realized that it was not Noah on the other side of her door. She swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat. "Colton." She said, surprised when her voice was actually steady. "What are you doing here?" She asked, keeping her hand tight on the door, while her other one went into her pocket, and curled around the brand new cell phone that Santana had given her. He smirked at her, and she found herself comparing him to Noah. "I told you that this wasn't over. Just because you've decided to show your true colors by becoming Puckerman's little slut, doesn't mean I've forgotten about you. I told you that you were mine, and I meant it. Now let me in." Rachel stood there for a second debating what to do, but that was decided for her when he pulled open one side of his sweater open, and she saw the gun that he had pointed at her. She slowly stepped back and opened the door wide enough for him to step through.

Colton looked around, making sure that it was just the two of them, he didn't see anyone, but he asked, just to be sure. "We alone, star?" Rachel felt herself flinch at the use of the nickname that Colton had always called her. She nodded. "Everyone is out shopping. I just-" She paused when she heard how squeaky her voice had gotten. She cleared her throat, and started again. "I just needed to be by myself for a little while." Colton laughed, and for the briefest moment, Rachel remembered why she had fallen for him. But then he pulled the gun from under his sweater fully and she felt the fear come rushing back. "Well, that works out well for me. Not so much for you, though." Rachel fought her fear knowing that if he got the upper hand on her, she would be dead before you could say Broadway. "Colton, we just need to talk, why don't you put the gun down? When have you ever needed to threaten me?" She asked, trying to get him to put away the gun. He just shook his head. "No can do, Star. See the thing is now, that I don't trust you. Haven't for a while. And while I'm at it, I should inform you that I truly don't like that Puck guy. He's not right for you. You're a broadway star. You deserve better than some neanderthal. Don't you know that?" He asked, and Rachel saw that he was mad, and decided to calm him down. "Of course I do. I haven't let Puck near me since that day." She said. Silently adding, Noah is a completely different matter. Her eyes snapped up to Colton's as he stepped towards her. "I love you, Star. Why can't you see that?" He asked, somewhat desperately. "I do, Colton. I do see it. I know now that I was blind, and stupid trying to leave you." Colton stepped even closer and Rachel waited for her moment. She knew the exact second he believed her, and she lunged towards him, trying to grab the gun. There was a brief struggle, then a loud bang.

Outside the house, Noah, who had been walking up to her door, heard the gun and broke into a run. When he got into the house, he saw Rachel on the ground with blood running out of her side, and Colton standing over her holding the gun. Noah saw red, and lunged at him, and Colton, who was too stunned to remain in control, dropped the gun as he hit the wall. Noah just kept punching him, even when he heard the sirens, signalling that one of Rachel's neighbors had heard the gun and called the police. He heard them come running in, and it took three cops to pull him off of Colton. One of the cops looked at him, then Colton, then at Rachel. When Noah saw her, he broke the hold the cops had on him and ran over to her. "Rachel, baby you can't leave me. Not like this, do you hear me? I love you, and I need you here with me. Don't leave me, please, baby, please!" He felt the tears running down his face, but he couldn't bring himself to care about his rep at the moment. After that, everything was a blur of police, paramedics, and cuffs.

~~~Two weeks later~~~

Santana walked down the hallway in the hospital towards the room they all felt like they lived in lately. Noah was back at work today, after two full weeks of not leaving Rachel's side. Kurt and Blaine had finally talked him into going back to work. Rory and Lea had gone back to Rachel's house and cleaned up the mess that everything had left. And Rachel? Well, Rachel was in a coma, and the doctors didn't know when, or even IF she would wake up. Santana walked into the room and sat next to the bed. She looked at the midget who had come barreling into her life almost 4 months ago, and felt her eyes burn with tears. She had thought for sure that she wouldn't like her, but Rachel tends to grow on you, and when she saw how Puckerman was around her, well, she decided that she was ok. Santana shook her head and wiped away a couple of stray tears. "Listen Bitch," She started, "We miss you. I know, crazy right?" She asked, shaking her head again. "You brought life back to this place, and mellowed my boy out. When you first rolled into town, you were this scared little girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, and when you finally let us all into your little world, we finally realized how awesome you truly were. We need you now. You round out our little bunch of mistfits, Rachel. And if you ever tell anyone that I was nice to you, I'll beat the shit out of you."

Santana looked at Rachel again, half hoping that she hadn't heard her, and half hoping that she had. When Rachel stayed motionless, she let the tears that had been building for weeks break free. She missed her. She was sick of watching Puckerman wither away because Rachel wouldn't wake up. Even her dads, who they had called after the shit had hit the fan and had come down, were slowly losing hope of ever getting their little starlet back. Santana hiccuped away the last of her tears right as Kurt and Blaine came walking in. Kurt took one look at her face and just enveloped her into a hug, no words, just comfort. Blaine's eyes were sad as he took in the exchange between the two. He walked over to the bed and kissed Rachel's temple. Kurt broke away from Santana and wiped his face. "So, nothing new?" He asked, even though he knew the answer. Santana just shook her head, and looked back at the ground. Kurt sighed and walked over to Rachel. "You have to wake for us now, Diva." He started, feeling his heart break at her just laying there. He kept talking, but Santana walked out to find the doctor. She found him at the nurses station. He recognized her immediately. "Ms. Lopez." He said, nodding his head. "Could I have a moment, please?" She asked, being more polite than she had ever been in her life. He nodded, and followed her into the empty waiting room. "You guys told us that she only had superficial wounds, besides the bullet wound, and even that, you told us that it wouldn't cause any permanent damage." The doctor nodded solemnly. "So why, if nothing is causing her that much damage, is she not awake yet?" Santana demanded. The doctor sighed. "Ms. Lopez, according to all of our tests and paperwork, Ms. Berry should be awake. The only thing that would be keeping her unconscious right now, is Ms. Berry." Santana stood there for a second and processed what he said. "So you're telling me that the only reason Rachel is in a coma right now, is Rachel?" She said incredulously. The doctor nodded. "I'm sorry, but Ms. Berry isn't waking up until she wants to." The doctor shot her one last look, and then walked away. Santana pulled out her phone.

_She woke up and looked around, seeing all of her friends standing around her looking sad. She got out of the bed she was lying in before she realized that there where two people not in the crowd of people. Rachel looked around past all the other faces, but she couldn't find Noah or Santana. She tried calling out to Kurt, but he didn't seem to hear her. She huffed and walked around the room she was in. There was a door at the far end of the room, and she had a feeling that she knew what was behind it, but she walked over and slowly opened it anyway. Her heart broke when she saw who was in the room. Noah was sitting at a desk with his head resting on his arms, and his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Rachel felt her own eyes start tearing up at the sight. Then she heard Santana's voice. "Rachel won't wake up until she is ready too. The doctors all say that by all medical reasons, she should be awake. So they can't give a solid answer as to why she isn't awake yet." Noah looked up. "I could have prevented all this. If I had just had the balls to stay when she whispered to me that night, I would have been with her, and I could have protected her." He said. Rachel heard that and thought, 'When I whispered to him?' She couldn't remember what he was talking about. Luckily Santana cleared that up. "She told that she loved you, and she didn't even remember saying it the next day, Puckerman. She was more upset because you said that you would be there when she woke up, and you weren't. THAT was why she was upset." Rachel's eyes got really big. THAT was why he wasn't there when she woke up?! "No one blamed you for running. You don't do feelings, you never have. You should have just told her." Noah scoffed and shook his head. Rachel felt the world around her going dark again as Noah started talking. "I didn't run because I was scared of her feelings, I ran-" That was all she heard before everything went black. _

Noah was once again at Rachel's bedside, but this time he was actually talking to her, something he hadn't tried yet. "So, I feel stupid talking to you without knowing if you can hear me or not, Princess, but I'm gonna try and say this. Maybe it'll be easier that way. I ran from you that day because I was scared, yes, but not of what people think. I was scared of the fact that when you told me that you loved me, I wanted to say it back. And that is some scary shit, babe. I don't do feelings, especially with females I barely know. Ask anyone and they will tell you. I'm the town whore." He chuckled lightly through his tears at that. "But you made me want to be different. You made me actually be different. And that scared the shit out of me. But there it is. I love you, and you need to come back to me so that I can tell you that everyday for the rest of our lives. I want to be able to look into your eyes and say the words, not say them when you're unconscious in some hospital bed." Noah stopped talking after that, resolving himself to the fact that she couldn't hear him. He shook his head, and got up to walk away. "Noah?" He spun around so fast he was sure he got whiplash. Rachel's eyes were open and looking right at him. His face broke into the biggest smile ever, and he walked back up to her. "Hey Princess." He said, chuckling when she rolled her eyes at the name. Then she grimaced. "Water?" She asked, he nodded, and ran out of the room to the nurse's station. He yelled that Rachel was awake and wanted water. He didn't notice everyone in the waiting room, but they all followed him into her room. Everyone was crying and laughing at the same time, even Rachel.

~~~~~~Five Months later~~~~~~

Santana walked out to the back porch of Rachel and Puck's home, and looked around at all the red white and blue. She chuckled and shook her head. "Rachel, why are there so many streamers?"She yelled at the brunette who was dancing around with Mike on the dance floor. Rachel just laughed. "Suck it up Santana! The decorations aren't going anywhere!" Santana laughed again, and walked over to puck who was sitting at the table watching Rachel and Mike. She hit his shoulder with her own. "Sup fucker?" She said, earning an eye roll from him that made her laugh that much harder. "You have hung out with Berry way to much. You are starting to act like her." Puck feigned a look of horror before he started laughing. "Yeah, I know. I actually said neanderthal yesterday in a sentence." He said with wide eyes. Santana just shook her head at him before looking over at Rachel again. "When are you going to ask the midget to marry you? She said, Looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "I know that ring is burning a hole in your pocket." Puck nodded. "Yeah, it is. I'm going to do it when the fireworks go off tonight." Santana smirked. "How romantic!" She said. Puck got up and walked over to Rachel and Mike. "Shut it, Satan!" Santana laughed that much harder when she heard Rachel begin lecturing him on calling people names.

Rachel looked up at Noah, and was once again struck by how perfect her life was now. Colton was in jail, and she was surrounded by the people she loved the most. You can't really get better than that. She heard Kurt yelling, and when she looked at him, he was waving her over. She laughed, and went up on her toes to give Noah a quick kiss before running over to him. "Diva, we need to sing. I have the perfect song."Rachel just stared at him. He gave her his patented puppy dog eyes look. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase?" He said, making her laugh. She nodded. Kurt started clapping before running up to the mike. "Ok party people! Sit back and prepare to be wow-ed by the voice talents of the resident divas in Berryville, Kurt Hummel- Anderson, and Rachel Berry!" Everyone in the backyard started cheering, while Kurt walked over to Rachel and handed her a mic. "What are we singing, Kurt?" She asked, but he just smirked at her. She glared at him until she heard the first chords of the song filter through the speakers, then she was practically crying.

**Kurt, **_Rachel, **Both****  
**_

_I'm limited_  
_Just look at me - I'm limited_  
_And just look at you _  
_You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda_  
_So now it's up to you_  
_For both of us - now it's up to you..._

**I've heard it said**  
**That people come into our lives for a reason**  
**Bringing something we must learn**  
**And we are led**  
**To those who help us most to grow**  
**If we let them**  
**And we help them in return**  
**Well, I don't know if I believe that's true**  
**But I know I'm who I am today**  
**Because I knew you**

**Like a comet pulled from orbit**  
**As it passes a sun**  
**Like a stream that meets a boulder**  
**Halfway through the wood**  
**Who can say if I've been changed for the better?**  
**But because I knew you**  
**I have been changed for good**

_It well may be  
That we will never meet again  
In this lifetime  
So let me say before we part  
So much of me  
Is made of what I learned from you  
You'll be with me  
Like a handprint on my heart  
And now whatever way our stories end  
I know you have re-written mine  
By being my friend..._

_Like a ship blown from its mooring _  
_By a wind off the sea_  
_Like a seed dropped by a skybird_  
_In a distant wood_  
_Who can say if I've been changed for the better?_  
_But because I knew you_

**Because I knew you**

_**I have been changed for good**_

_And just to clear the air_  
_I ask forgiveness_  
_For the thing I've done you blame me for_

**But then, I guess we know**  
**There's blame to share**

_**And none of it seems to matter anymore**_

**Like a comet pulled from orbit**  
**As it passes a sun**  
**Like a stream that meets a boulder**  
**Halfway through the wood**

_Like a ship blown from its mooring _  
_By a wind off the sea_  
_Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood_

_**Who can say if I've been **_  
_**Changed for the better?**_  
_**I do believe I have been**_  
_**Changed for the better**_

**And because I knew you...**

_Because I knew you..._

_**Because I knew you...**_  
_**I have been changed for good. **_

When they were done, they were both crying and so were a few other people, but everyone was cheering. Right when it all calmed down, the fireworks started going, and Noah ran up on stage and took Kurt's mic. He looked at Rachel before dropping to one knee, and Rachel gasped and started crying again. "Rachel, when you came blowing into to town, you changed each and every one of us. And at first, I wasn't sure if I liked that, much less you." Rachel scoffed while everyone else laughed. "But as I grew to know you, I knew that you were the one person who could make change a good thing. And I wanted to be near you all the time. I never realized what I was feeling, because, let's be honest. I'm Noah Puckerman. He doesn't do love. But you changed all that too. Watching you lie in the hospital bed for two weeks cleared everything up for me. I love you, Rachel Berry, and I hope you feel the same way. So," He reached into his packet and pulled out the ring he had been holding onto for four months. "Marry me?" He said, looking into her eyes. Rachel stood there in shock for a full minute before she realized he was waiting for an answer. "Oh Noah, Yes!" She said, and he broke out into a relieved grin and slid the ring onto her finger before sweeping her up into a hug and kiss, while all of there friends cheered.

Rachel looked around her backyard at all of her friends, and thought back over the last year of her life. Love, loss, heartbreak, new friends, and old friends, and family. But most of all, Happiness. Who knew you gain all of that with a move and a new beginning?

* * *

**So, that's it guys! :[ I'm going to go cry now, because it's over. I hope you like it, and I hope I did the characters justice. Don't forget to review! Thanks, Love you all!**


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